Spring handling machine



Oct. '13, 1931. w. s. BULLOCK 1,327,551

- SPRING mmnmua menus Filed Nov. 18, 1929 a ly- /7 e :2 /9 4a 30 a 44 @9 J? jg? j v 530/1063? INVENTQR Patented Oct. 13, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM BULLOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SPRING HANDLING MACHINE 7 Application filed Noveniber 1a, 1929. Serial No. 408,058.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in spring handling machines and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

The salient object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character which will be constructed so that it may be employed to compress a coil spring.

Another object of the invention, ancillary to the foregoing, is to provide a machine which will embody portions that will receive the compressed spring and facilitate the insertion thereof into a pocket or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above described character which will be so arranged that the operation thereof may be expeditiously carried out and which will embody portions arranged for simultaneous operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will be constructed to embody a portion that will automatically function to move a compressed spring from the compressing mechanisms into members particularly arranged to receive such a compressed spring.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel com bination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which; I V

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred form of construction for my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental top plan view of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1; N

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 -3 on Fig. 1', I I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 on Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, drawn toan enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 55 on Fig. 2. y

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred form of construction for my invention, '10 generically indicates the bench or supporting structure on which my device is intended to be mounted, which supporting structure includes a bed 11 and leg constructions 12 supporting the bed. The spring compressing member of my improved device is mounted above the bed 11 while the support therefor is arranged below said bed.

Arranged on the upper side of the bed 10 along one edge thereof are supporting brackets 13 which provide surfaces 14 that are arranged parallel to the upper surface of the bed 11 but which are spaced thereabove. The supporting brackets 13 are arranged so that the inwardly disposed edges of the portions 14 thereof are spaced apart and mounted on the upper surface of the members 14 along these inwardly disposed edges are spacers 15. A substantially cylindrical cup member 16 is provided which is preferably formed from two substantially semicircular sections 17. Each of the sections 17 include foot portions 18 that are arranged above the spacers 15 and the foot portions 18 and the spacers 15 are secured to the portions 14 by suitable securing members such as the rivets 19. The substantially semicircular portions 17 are spaced apart so as to provide openings 20 which are arranged in diametricalopposition to each other.

Supported on the upper surface of the bed 11 intermediate the space between the inwardly disposed ends of the portions 14 of the brackets 13 is a vertically extending block 21. 8 A slidable arm 22 is provided which includes depending lugs 23 that are arranged on each side of the block 21 and the lower surface of the arm 22 is rested on the upper edge of the block 21 and it is, therefore, manifest that the arm 22 will be supported on the block 21 so as to be slidable therealong. As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 the arm 22 includes upwardly extending portions 24 that are arranged in alignment with the portions 23 and which co-operate therewith. As best illustrated in Fig. 5 the portions 23 and 24 have arranged therebetween notches 25, the purpose of which will be made apparent presently,

surface of the bed 11. The upper end of this lever 27 is slotted as indicated at30. As best illustrated in Fig. 2 the arm 22'has an arm 31 extending rearwardly therefrom on which a pin 32 is fixed. The pin 32 is intende cl to be disposed in the slot 3O for a purpose to be made apparent presently.

Extending between certain ofthe legs 12' are side rails such as 33. Extending. between these side rails and supported thereby is a rail 34. On the rail 34 at spaced apart intervals are bearing structures 35.-' Shafts 36 and37 are journaledin the bearings 35 and these shafts and bearings are spaced apart in the -manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. Mounted on the shafts 36 and 37 are sprockets 38 and 39 between which an endless chain 40 is extended so that the sprockets will be connected for simultaneous rotation. On the outer'ends of the shafts 36 and 37 links 41 and 42 are fixedly mounted. An arm 43 has the ends thereof pivotally connected to the outer ends of the links 41 and 42. An arm 44 is fixedly connected to the arm 43 at the point where said arm 43 is pivctally connected to the link 41. The arm 44 extends through a slot 45 (Fig. 2) in the bed 11. Anarm 46 is fixedly connected 7 to the upper end of the arm 44 and the arm 46 is arranged to extend parallel to the arm 43 and is disposed above the bed 11.

In use a spring is disposed in the cylindrical member 16 and the arm 46 is gripped ad- .moved so that the links 41 and 42 will be disposed to extend rearwardly and upwardly whereby the outer free end of the arm 46 will be disposed above the container 16 in which a coil spring such as that indicated by has been arranged. Continued movement will be imparted to the arm 46 and the other arms connected thereto and, therefore, the arm 46 will be moved downwardly and as the arm 46 moves downwardly said arm will pass through the slots 20 and will engage: the spring in the container 16 and thus cause said spring to be compressed. At the time the arm 46 attains its lowermost position the spring 50 will be completely collapsed in the'manner in which the spring 51 is collapsed." Con- .tinued movement of the arm 46 will cause the same to move rearwardly and be retracted from the slots 20 and it may, therefore, be moved upwardly into a position from which it may be moved downwardly to compress another spring introduced into the container 16. Associated with the shaft 36 and secured to the sprocket 38 is a cam 47. A spring 48 extends between the arm 27 and. a depending flange on the bedll and'urges the arm 27 into engagement with the cam 47. The cam 47 is shaped and mounted so that when the sprocket 38 is rotated-in accordance with the movementof the arm 46 the cam 47 will engage the arm27 to move the same forwardly. Forward movement of the arm 27 is trans mitted through the pin 32 and the arm 31 to the block 22 which moves said block 22 forwardly. As the block 22 moves forwardly the compressed spring indicated by 51 is engaged in the notch 25 and continued movement of the arm 27 which is imparted thereto by the cam 47, will cause the spring 51 to be moved forwardly over the plate 49. Co-operating with the plate 49 and formed as part of the sections 17 are plate structures 52 and the arm 22 moves forwardly a distance sufficient to dispose. the compressed spring 51 well into the space between the plates 49 and 52. As best illustrated in Fig. 2 the plates 49 and 52 are pointed as indicated by 53. Therefore, a cloth pocket or the like may be passed over the plates 49 and 52 and the compressed spring may be thus introduced into such a pocket which will then be removed from the plates 49 and 52 and, therefore, the compressed spring will be entrapped in this pocket.

I If desired a substantially funnel like strucfture'such as that indicated by 54 may be associated with the upper end of the container 16 to facilitate the introduction of springs into said container. 7

It is manifest that a new spring may be introduced into the container 16 as soon as the arm 46,is moved downwardly therethrough inasmuch as the compressed spring will be forced from the container as soon as the compression has been carried out and by reason of the factthat the arm' 46 moves in a circular path it is manifest that it will be retracted from the container and will pass upwardly exteriorlv thereof and it may, therefore, en-

age the upper end of a spring which may be subsequently introduced into the container 16. In this manner a substantially continuous operation may be carried out.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efi'ect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore. do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims. j v

named arm and-extended parallel to said first named arm, links pivotally connected to said last named arm, means for supporting said links for movement in a circular path whereby said arms may be moved in a circular path, said first named arm moving through said slots to compress a member in said container during a portion of the downward movement thereof in said circular path, and means for moving the member compressed in said container therefrom.

2. In a device of the character stated, a container having diametrically opposed slots therein, an arm, another arm connected to said arm, another arm connected to said last named arm and extended parallel to said first named arm, links pivotally connected to said last named arm, means for supporting said links for movement in a circular path whereby said arms may be moved in a circular path, said first named arm moving through said slots to compress a member in said container during a portion of the downward movement thereof in said circular path, a member reciprocal through the lower portion of said container, and means for moving said last named member through said container after said member has been compressed therein to vmove said member therefrom.

3. In a device of the character stated, a container having diametrically opposed slots therein, an arm, another arm connected to said arm, another arm connected to said last named arm and extended parallel to said first named arm, links pivotally connected to said last named arm, means for supporting said links for movement in a circular path whereby said arms may be moved in a circular path, said first named arm moving through said slots to compress a member in said container during a portion of the downward movement thereof in said circular path, a

-member reciprocal through the lower portion of said container, a pivotally mounted arm, a cam associated with one of said links for moving said arm, means for connecting said arm to said reciprocal member whereby movement imparted to said arm will be imparted to said reciprocal member to move said reciprocal member through said container to remove the member compressed by the downward movement of the first mentioned arm.

4. In a device of the character stated, a container having diametrically opposed slots therein, an arm, another arm connected to said arm, another arm connected to said last named arm and extended parallel to said first named arm, links pivotally connected to said last named arm, means for supporting said links for movement in a circular path whereby said arms may be moved in a circular path, said first named arm moving through said slots to compress a member in said container during a portion of the downward movement thereof in said circular path, a member reciprocal through the lower portion of said container, a pivotally mounted arm, a cam associated with one of said links for moving said arm, means for connecting said arm to said reciprocal member whereby movement imparted to said arm will be imparted to said reciprocal member to move said reciprocal member through said container to remove the member compressed by the downward movement of the first mentioned arm, and plates disposed to receive the compressed member after said compressed member is moved from said container.

5. A machine for compressing springs and moving the compresed springs into a fabric pocket comprising a supporting structure including a bed, a container on the bed having open upper and lower ends and having diametrically opposed and aligned slots in the side walls thereof, an arm movable through the slots in a substantially circular path for compressing a spring in the container, means for moving said arm on its compressing Etroke including rotatable means movable in a circular path and including means connecting said arm with said rotatable means, said compressing means retracting said arm out of said slots after the compressing stroke to permit the succeeding spring to enter the container below the arm, means slidably mounted on said bed for forcing a compressed spring out of the lower end of the container, and guiding means through which said slidable means will force the compressed spring to a fabric pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM S. BULLOCK. 

